Tiny box battler a fine coffee time filler

There are hundreds of small box filler games out there these days, and Charge & Spark is among them.

From designers Akiyama Koryo and Kozu Yusei, with art from Saito Minori, this one is a quick play duelling game for two players.

The set-up reminds me of a fencing duel, each player starting at different ends of a ‘pathway’. Using cards, you move your token hopefully toward the centre – such efforts can be thwarted by certain cards – to get the win.

You can also win by reducing the opponent’s health to zero.

Card actions do require ‘energy’ and you have a limited supply that, once used, you will need to spend turns replenishing.

Finding that balance of offence, defence, and resource management is the key here.

In this game, players select a card to play for the turn and reveal it simultaneously.

The cards one has access to are limited here, so you can get a decent handle on what they may have in-hand by keeping in mind what has been played – so memory plays a part.

The art here reminds me of early generation video games – an acquired taste to be sure. In my case, the art adds little to the game.

Gameplay play-through is surprisingly solid here, and so quick it is one you will want to be playing a best three-of-five, or four-of-seven, over an expended coffee or brew.

This one wins out for its portability and quick play with some solid decisions to make.

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